From the story of a brave young slave who escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad to the inspirational words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to a talented ballerina’s journey to become the first African-American to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, the selections this month feature notable people and events in honor of Black History Month. This annual observance is a great way to remember all the influencers and leaders of color. I encourage you to check out these titles, and explore many others that help us commemorate black history.

This picture book introduces young children to one of the most influential leaders and change makers of the 20th century. The author shares the story of Dr. King’s life while incorporating poignant words from some of his famous quotes within the pages. The beautiful artwork makes this leader’s story come alive, offering readers an even richer experience.

This story is a fictional account of a Eliza, a young slave on a Virginia farm whose mother was sold away to another farm. The only thing Eliza had to remember her mom was a quilt she had given her and the stories she had shared throughout her childhood. Abbey, the cook, took Eliza under her wing and cared for her when she wasn’t taking care of the Mistress. After learning she may be taken to a slave sale auction, Eliza makes the brave decision to travel the Underground Railroad to find her freedom. Alma Powell, wife of General Colin Powell, said this was “a story of hope, determination, and the triumph of the human spirit.”

Middle School — Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina – Young Readers Edition by Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland grew up as a shy, underprivileged girl who started dancing at the age of 13. In her memoir, Misty shares the remarkable story of her journey against many odds to become the first African-American principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. She is an inspiration to dancers of all ages, and a role model to young girls with big dreams.

High School — Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

This New York Times bestseller is the true story of black female mathematicians at NASA who contributed to many of America’s great accomplishments in the space program. Spanning a period from World War II to the Civil Rights Movement, this book features brilliant women who were known as human computers who had the ability to use simple tools to calculate codes to launch rockets into space. This fascinating, inspiring story is one that all youth, especially girls, should read.

Moms — The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

In 1951, a poor black tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks had cells taken from her without her knowledge. Scientists knew her as HeLa, and used her cells as medicinal tools to aid in the development of the polio vaccine, gene mapping and cloning. While her cells have been responsible for many advancements in the world of medicine, Henrietta has remained virtually unknown. This bestseller is a thought-provoking story that touches on ethics, race, medicine and scientific discovery.

Win a book of your choice from today’s blog! Remember to share your thoughts and comments, and you could be selected to win a copy of one of the books, compliments of Barnes & Noble, Friendly Shopping Center, Greensboro. The staff of Triad Moms on Main will choose a random winner next week. (Please be sure to enter your email address when you fill out your comment so they have a way to contact you.)

I’m interested in the Early Elementary book about Martin Luther King, but do you have any other recommendations for Kindergartners that are about other African Americans? I’ve got several about MLK that are on their level, but only have ones that tell too much info for Kindergartner’s ears about other famous African Americans.

Here are a few titles to check out —
– Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Nadir Nelson
– The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
– Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Nadir Nelson
– This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt
– Two Friends by Dean Robbins
– Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills by Renee Watson
– Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan, Roslyn Jordan
– Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney
– I am Jackie Robinson (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer
– The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
– If A Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold
– Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull
– A Weed is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver by Aliki
– Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford

Ellen thanks for sharing. I would love to read Eliza’s Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolen. I also visited your page mindfulmom. I recently lost my Mom. So glad I came across anniversary of heart.
Thanks!

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” is the “People’s History of the Untied States” for the medical industry and race relations in America. I am thrilled to see it as one of your picks for High Schoolers. It is excellently written and well researched. I also enjoyed the author’s style, which was a combination of dumbfounded and disbelief, balanced with a timely dose of historical relevance and ethics. It also is a valuable and sometimes intimate discourse on the experience of minorities at the hands of the medical research industry. Great pick!

Great suggestions! I read the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and really liked it. I think it’s now a made for TV movie, I believe. I didn’t realize Hidden Figures was a book – I think I will add that to my list. Thanks for sharing!